USFWS and the Water Resources Reform and Development Act

On June 10th of last year, the President signed into law the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-121), which included direction from Congress to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to lead a multiagency effort to slow the spread of Asian carp in the Upper Mississippi River and Ohio River basins, in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Specifically, WRRDA called for the Service to develop and deliver a report to Congress summarizing all activities and expenditures (both federal and non-federal) related to Asian carp prevention efforts in the two watersheds over the previous two years, as well as describing any observed changes in the range of Asian carp in Upper Mississippi River and Ohio River basins; research the Service's Director determined could improve the ability to control the spread of Asian carp; and quantitative measures proposed for use in documenting progress in controlling the spread of Asian carp.